Beauty Queen
by kazdobrev
Summary: Elena's mother has been striving for her daughter to compete in beauty pageants since she was a little girl. They go to Mystic Falls, Virginia for Elena to compete in the Southern Miss Beauty Pageant, where Damon is one of judges. This is my first fanfiction, so R&R. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is my first fanfiction. This idea came to when I was watching Toddlers & Tiaras. Don't judge me. It also came from Miss Mystic Falls. **

**If anyone can photo shop and want to be really nice, I'd really like a cover for this. I probably won't get one, but it'd be nice. :)**

**Follow me on Tumblr: mysticponds**

**And twitter: smolderlinson**

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything.**

* * *

Elena took a deep breath as she breathed in the new air of Mystic Falls, Virginia. Her mother and she had just got off the plane from Atlanta and got one of the best rental cars to get to the small borough. She hadn't a clue why they couldn't just drive to Virginia. Her mother just stated that she has standards. They checked into a bed and breakfast, where many other competitors were staying.

The Southern Miss Beauty Pageant was being held in Mystic Falls this year, and Miranda Gilbert had her eyes on that tiara for her daughter. Miranda was a pageant success in her days and decided to bring the world to her beautiful daughter, Elena.

When she was younger, she was elated to compete. The feeling she got when her name was called and a tiara was placed on her head and a sash wrapped around her was one of the best feelings she experienced. But now, she's gotten uninterested. She is happy to see her mother's smile whenever she won, because she could relive her days of being the one who prevailed, but that's all she's happy about. When Miranda became pregnant, she couldn't compete anymore, so she lived through her daughter, Elena concluded. She was her pageantry success lives through her daughter.

"Elena, unpack, so we could get lunch. Make sure that your dresses aren't wrinkled, and put them in order on the rack," Miranda said, as she started to unpack her bag.

Elena did as told and mother and daughter set off to a nice bistro, one of the only nice restaurants in and around the town. Elena didn't get time to rest from the flight, so in the restaurant, Miranda scolded her for not listening to her about the pageant. Her daughter deterred and continued eating and looking interested in her mother's instructions.

This was Elena's last year to compete for the Teen category, being 18, for pageants and Miranda want to finish with a bang. She wanted her daughter to win as many competitions as she can in her last year, and when it's her turn to start for the Miss category, she will dominate. Elena has been competing since she was in diapers and their home in Atlanta has a room dedicated to Elena's awards, sashes, and tiaras, and it's just a bit bigger than Elena's bedroom.

When they arrived at Mrs. Flower's B&B, Miranda decided to head to the mini café that's on the main floor to talk to some of the other mothers and coax some information on the competition. Elena, on the other hand, stayed in the room and wrote in her journal. She's been writing in a journal ever since her paternal grandmother gave her Elena's first pink fuzzy diary. She's probably bought two diaries a year, because when she writes, it's like she can't stop. She hopes that one day, she'll find these diaries again, or her daughter, or granddaughter, will find them and read her story. They'll read and feel how dedicated she was and how she felt constrained to compete.

Her grandmother saw Elena's passion for writing as she saw her burrowed in her diary all the time, and strived for her to follow her dreams. Elena wanted to please everyone, so she told her grandmother that she'd continue writing, but she just had to compete to please her mother.

In her diary, Elena wrote what most girls would write in their diaries. She recorded her thoughts, her hopes, her dreams, her suspicions and theories on everything, what happened every day, what happened in competitions, and her rants.

Elena paused her thoughts at the sound of someone knocking at her door. Puzzled, she walked the distance to the door, and opening it to see a blonde bombshell attacking her with a hug. She knew who it was immediately: Caroline. Caroline and Elena met years ago at a Little Miss pageant. They were competing against each other, Elena beating Caroline by half a point. Regardless, they became great friends.

When Caroline pulled away, she was beaming. "I saw your mom downstairs. She's talking with my dads and a couple of moms. I got so excited when I knew you were here, but I really shouldn't be surprised. With your track record…" She trailed off wiping a fake sweat from her forehead and blowing out a breath. She peeked into the room and asked, "May I come in?"

Elena made way for her friend, and she walked right in hopping onto the bed. Closing the door, she sat by the pillows facing Caroline. "So, what's new?"

Caroline smiled so widely, she was glowing with happiness. "Well, I'm actually seeing this new guy. He's pretty amazing. You would like him."

"Ooh," Elena smiled back. "What's his name? What's he like?"

She blushed, thinking about him again. "His name is Klaus. I know, the name is quite outlandish. He was pining over me for a while, being all sweet and sexy, until I finally agreed to go out with him, and I don't regret it a bit. We met about a year ago but started going out a couple months ago. And I'm sorry that I'm only telling you now, because I wanted to know it was serious," she blurted out the apology quickly, thinking her friend would be upset.

Elena chuckled, "It's fine, Care. I understand."

She exhaled her held breath, and put a smile back on her face. "Good. So, what's new with you?" Caroline asked, leaning closer, very interested.

The brunette shrugged with an uninterested face. "No, nothing new with me."

Caroline furrowed her perfectly shaped eyebrows. "Oh, come on. There has got to be something interesting that has happened to you since we last talked."

She thought about it for a moment, rummaging through her head for something to tell Caroline. "I won Ultimate Grand Supreme three weeks ago."

Glowering, Caroline playfully hit her friend. "Okay, that may be interesting, but not really, considering you win every title you go for."

"Not _every _title."

"Okay, the majority of the titles you go for. Whatever, Elena. Seriously. No drama, no new boys you're interested in."

Shaking her head, Elena responded, "Nope. No drama, no one since Matt. I've just done a lot of writing and competing."

"Your life is so dull, and yet you win the most prestigious pageants."

Chuckling, Elena decided to change the subject. "Enough about this. Let's talk about the pageant."

Caroline pepped up at this. "Oh, my god, Elena. I saw the judges talking today at the Mystic Grill, the local hang out here, and one of them, Damon Salvatore is mighty fine. He's basically sex on legs."

Elena snickered at Caroline and her boy infatuation. "You're dating someone, Caroline," she accused, sarcastically.

She glared at Elena, teasingly. "Just because I'm with someone, doesn't mean I can't browse. But, seriously, Elena, when you see Damon, your jaw is going to hit the floor."

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Read and Review, please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you, guys, so much for the reviews. I'm going to try to update at least once every week. I just started school and I really need to do well, so that limits my writing time. **

**And, yes, I've changed my pen name from mysticponds to kazdobrev, because I changed my tumblr URL and I like things to match… :)**

**Follow my tumblr: kazdobrev**

**And if your life isn't awkward enough, follow my twitter ( smolderlinson) and I'll make it even more awkward.**

**Disclaimer: Copyright CW, TLC, LJ Smith, Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, and I'm sure there are other people.**

* * *

The next day, Elena's mother let her daughter have some free time before they had to head to the high school to rehearsal her routines. Caroline and Elena decided to explore the town. They found a cute boutique on the main street. Caroline begged Elena to try on a dress she knew Elena would never buy on her own because of the bare back. It was very short and revealing and Caroline's defense was that Elena needs to "get a man."

She finally gave in and took the dress into the fitting room.

"Come out when you have it on!" Caroline chirped from the waiting area.

Elena slipped on the dress, and surprisingly, it looked amazing on her. The little black dress was short and sheer, but she dismissed that because she loved how it looked. She walked out of the store and Caroline joked saying that she almost jumped Elena.

"That looks so good. You should get it. And maybe if your mom lets you, you could wear to the Mystic Grill tonight. We could have dinner; have a few guys pursue us. It will be great!" She went into a fitting room to try on a dress, as Elena walked back into hers to change back into her own clothes. She walked out into the waiting area to see Caroline coming out, wearing a black and white tribal print mini dress. She looked great and she came with a big smile. "I am so buying this dress. Let me just change back and we'll go in line together."

"Sure thing, Care," Elena said, sitting down on a comfy chair.

* * *

When Elena got back to her room, her mother had her grab her dresses and immediately head to the high school. Miranda didn't want anyone see any part of Elena's routine so they went into a classroom that had a lot of space cleared. She changed into her Glitz dress that was a gold floor-length with a lot of glitter on the bodice. It was custom-made by one of the best designers in the South, as were all her pageant dresses.

Elena did her walk, she didn't know why though. Her walk was always the same, but for every competition, he mother had her rehearse every part of what was going on stage. After that, she changed into her dance dress and practiced her dance that was choreographed by her dance instructor. Through the beginning of high school, Elena had to join the cheerleading team, by direction from her mother. But when she turned 16, she started competing more than she already did, so she only had time for school, pageant training, dance lessons, and pageants.

Her dance was interrupted by two men walking into the classroom. One with sandy blonde hair and the other with raven black hair. They were in a deep conversation when they walked in and saw her dancing with her mother sitting on the desk. She stopped right during a pirouette to face them.

"Not to be rude, but may I ask why you two are in here?" The man with the sandy blonde hair said, moving more into the class, as the other man leaned against the doorframe. The black haired man kept his stare on Elena, making her uncomfortable, so she looked at his friend.

Elena spoke up, "I'm sorry. Is this your classroom? We were just rehearsing for the pageant."

"Yeah, this is my room. But I don't understand. There's the gym or the theater."

Miranda stood from the desk. "We're very private with our rehearsal. Sorry, we can clear out and find somewhere else," she said heading towards Elena's stuff. Elena, as she was switching into her flats, still felt intense eyes on her. She looked up to see the black haired man looking at her, still, and he winked at her. Elena blushed and followed Miranda out the door, apologizing again to the men.

* * *

The music was playing at the Grill when the two pageant girl walked in. Already, they saw several of their competitors around the place. The stuck up ones saw them and flipped their hair over their shoulders. The others, who saw them, smiled politely, even though they know, with Elena and Caroline competing, their chancing of winning queen or princess are low.

The pair found a table and ordered their drinks with the waiter. They started talk about upcoming pageants when Caroline stopped mid-sentence. She saw Damon Salvatore walk in the restaurant and head straight for the bar. "Elena, do you see that guy over at the bar, the absolutely gorgeous one. That's Damon, one of our judges."

Elena flicked her head over to see Damon and her jaw did, in fact, drop. "That's Damon."

"What did I tell you? Gorgeous."

She looked back over at Caroline. "He walked in on me earlier when I was rehearsing. He kept staring at me."

"Maybe he likes you," Caroline voiced.

In reply, Elena rolled her eyes, and said, "Please. I'm a pageant girl. He probably thinks I'm a stuck up princess like Aimee, over there." She shook her head, taking a sip of her Sprite.

Caroline got a devious glint in her. "Well, I don't think so, considering he's glancing towards you a lot."

"What?" Elena whipped her head to see Damon's eyes on her. When they connected eyes, Damon did a thing with his eye that made Elena swoon. She blushed and looked back to Caroline. "So, what? He's a judge in this small town and I'm still a beauty queen from Georgia and probably will be for a long time."

They stayed silent for a while, as they waited for their food to come. Caroline kind of felt sorry for Elena. She knew that she felt obligated to compete because her mom wants this so much. Unlike Caroline, who practically begged her dads to sign her for her first pageant. She knows that if it were up to Elena, she wouldn't be doing this. Despite the smiles Elena forms every day, she knows she could so much happier doing something else.

As they started eating, Elena got a phone call. She excused herself and walked to the area near the restrooms, where it was a bit quieter, to take the call. "Jer?"

"'Lena! How are things?" Elena's brother, Jeremy, said over the phone.

"Good, good. How are things back home?"

"The same. You have good competition?"

She chuckled, "Yeah, I guess. Caroline's here." They continued talking. Elena checked in on how their father and grandmother are doing at home, and Jeremy checked in on their mother. When they bid adieus, Elena hung up and turned to go back to the table, but was stopped in her tracks by a dark figure. She looked up to see that it was Damon. "Er, hi."

* * *

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Sorry for a bit of a delay. I've had a lot of homework and I've been writing other things, I've forgotten about this fic. I'm a very forgetful person… Sorry. But, yeah. Uhm, Damon might be a little OOC, maybe even Elena.**

**I'd really like for this fic to have a cover, and I'm not in any way skilled in photo shop, so if anyone would like to be nice and make one I'd love you so much. Like, a dozen virtual cookies for you. **

**And thank you so so much for the reviews. And again I'm sorry for the delay. **** And if there are any mistakes or typos, I apologize for that too.**

**Tumblr: kazdobrev, Twitter: oswiinn**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"Hi," he said with a very smooth, smoldering voice. "We bumped into each other earlier, in my friend's classroom."

"I know," she said with a small smile. He was even more gorgeous up close.

"I'm Damon Salvatore," he said, holding his hand out.

She took his hand and shook it, "Elena Gilbert."

"So, you're competing in the pageant?" She nodded. "I'm one of the judges tomorrow, actually."

She nodded, smiling lightly, "I know. My friend told me. She's in the pageant, too." She looked down at the ground, trying not to notice his gaze on her. Although Elena knew how attractive she was, as she was told so many times before, she didn't know why someone who is so much hotter in comparison went to talk to her.

Elena noticed how close they were when she smelled his mouthwatering cologne. She gulped metaphorically trying to stop herself from jumping him right then and there. They started walking towards Elena's table. "You know, from what I've seen of you, you've got my vote."

She blushed at his word. Looking back up, she caught a glimpse of Caroline giving her a questioning look. "Well, thank you. I better go. My friend is waiting for me."

Damon nodded, "Yeah, I better go, too. My – uh – friend is waiting for me as well." He was glancing at the bar, and when Elena turned to see where he was looking, she saw a blonde woman in a blood red dress. She was stunning, leaning back with her elbows on the bar-top, her eyes giving Damon a very sultry look, as if Elena wasn't standing there.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she said, "Okay. Well, bye. I guess I'll see you at the competition tomorrow." She moved back to her table, feeling confused with Damon introducing himself to her.

When she walked away, Damon looked at her retreating figure, with a smirk plastering on his face. He walked to the bar to meet up with Katherine. As he walked closer, a sweet smile was brought to her face, but her dark, sensual eyes stayed. "Who was she?" She asked, appearing impressed.

Katherine was one to claim, possess, and show it to the world. Damon knew this, because, since they have been "together", she has staked her claim on Damon, giving the stink eye to every woman who flirts with Damon. "She is a competitor for the Beauty Pageant that we're judging tomorrow."

"And you were talking to her, now, why?"

Damon rolled his eyes. He ignored her and ordered another drink, sitting down on the stool next to her. Katherine always tried to control him, but he always disregards her, but they stay in their quasi-relationship, anyway. He swigged his drink back quickly, slammed it down and dropped some cash on the counter. "Let's go," he gestured and started to walk out the Grill with Katherine on his arm.

"Were you just talking to Damon Salvatore?" Caroline asked, disbelieving she just saw them talking.

Elena sat down slowly, "Yeah. We ran into each other." She sipped her drink hoping for Caroline to drop the conversation.

"He was giving you sex eyes."

She looked back at her incredulously, "No, he wasn't. Besides, I'm pretty sure he has a girlfriend." She gestured with her eyes at Damon and the blonde girl leaving arm in arm.

Caroline turned to look. "That's Katherine Pierce. She's one of the other judges."

Elena looked at her inconspicuously, but with curious eyes. She was really beautiful. She was probably the Miss Mystic Falls that Elena was told about. "She seems very…"

"Plastic? Yeah. I sensed that too."

"That's not what I was going to say. I was going to say assertive. And mean." Elena sensed from Katherine's expressions towards Damon.

She was leaning against the bar as Damon was drinking. She had cold blue eyes that glanced towards her, and Elena was alarmed. Damon finished is drink and Katherine looped her arm through Damon's as they walked out. She occasionally looked over at Elena as they walked out.

It was like Katherine was trying to prove something and intimidating Elena.

Elena walked through the door of her room to see her mother waiting, sitting on her bed. She stood once her daughter came near.

"Elena, I've got news on the pageant," she took a paper from the side table. Elena read the paper, which said that the pageant would be extended to a three day competition if the contestant wants to compete for even higher titles. Other contestants will compete in the one day pageant in another hall. She looked up to her mother, who was smiling, "So I called your father while you were gone to get your brother to come and bring more dresses and your CD that had the song you sang for the last pageant." Miranda already decided that they're staying.

The brown-haired beauty just nodded, knowing that her mother won't change her mind.

"Jeremy should arrive tomorrow midday. I insisted he fly over, but he said he could drive. The pageant starts the next day, so we'll practice tomorrow. You'll have the morning off so you can spend time with Caroline. I heard from Bill and Joey that they're staying for the extended competition."

Elena exhaled, eyes wide, and nodded. "Okay. I'm just going to change and take a walk before I go to bed if that's okay with you." Miranda said it was fine and her daughter grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt and went into the attached bathroom to change. She grabbed her journal from the side table and staggered out the door, down a flight of stairs, and out the building where there was a small park.

She sat down a wooden bench, stretching out her legs on the rest of the bench. She began to write of her day. Shopping with Caroline, rehearsing, being interrupted by Damon and his friend, bumping into Damon, being smitten by him, and getting the nasty look from Katherine.

"Hey."

Elena looked up to see Damon standing in front of her. She closed her journal, tucking her pen in the spiral. "Hi," she murmured. She changed her position and Damon sat down, facing her.

"We keep meeting up in the same place," he said with a smoldering smile and velvety voice.

She smiled lightly. "Yeah, I guess we do." There was silence for a moment. "I thought you were with someone, a girlfriend," she said before she could stop herself.

Damon chuckled, "Uh, Katherine… She went home. She's not really my… girlfriend."

Feeling embarrassed, Elena looked down.

"So I heard about you."

"Oh," her voice went, questioningly.

Nodding, he said, "Yeah, I heard you win a lot of these things."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Like a lot," he emphasized. "But you don't really seem that into it."

Elena shot her head up, "What?"

Damon changed his position to be more comfortable. "When I saw you earlier, practicing, I actually saw you through the window, before we walked in. You don't really seem into it. The other girls that I saw practicing where they were supposed to practice, they were happy and smiling. You looked… misplaced."

She crinkled her brows. Elena was about to retort, but quickly closed her mouth. She wanted to deny it. She knows she would if her mother was around, but he was right. "So what?"

"Why do you do it?"

Elena was wordless. She knew why, but why does Damon want to know. "My mother. She was the best pageant girl in Atlanta when she was my age. When I was entered into my first pageant, I won first place. I was a natural and my mom started to sign me up for more and more pageants and she loves to see me win."

Nodding, she said, "Yeah." She was quiet for a moment. "Why am I telling you this?"

"Because I asked you," he smiled.

She giggled, shaking her head. Biting her lip, she decided to change the subject. "Why are you a judge, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Uhm, I'm the richest person in this town," he boasted. "I'm the CEO of Salvatore House Publications. In Atlanta, actually."

Elena perked up, "Salvatore House? I pass that building a lot."

"You're familiar with it? Well, I mostly work here, but I drive up there every weekend."

"Yeah, I've wanted to go there to for when I finished my first book to publish it, but I've never actually got much done."

Damon deadpanned, "You write?"

She nodded, "I love to write. Since I was little."

"And that's what you'd rather do. Not all this pageant stuff. I get it."

Smiling, she said, "I'd love to write a book. I write almost all the time."

"Why don't you just stop competing and do what you love?"

"I—" She stopped herself. "Why are you so interested? We're practically strangers."

Damon smiled, "I don't really know. I just want to know you."

Disbelieving, she squinted her eyes, "I know what this is. The whole trying to read and understand me to get into my pants."

He scoffed with a smile, "What?"

"You have this whole older bad boy, smoldering thing, but it's not going to work on me. I'm sorry," she grabbed her journal and started to walk back to the Inn. She was just about to walk off the curb of the park, when Damon gently grabbed her arm and turned her around. She huffed and moved her weight to one foot. "What?"

"It's not a thing. I really want to know you," he said slowly and smoothly.

Elena's mouth was left partly open, looking at Damon's face, trying to find something superficial. She got out of his grasped, not saying a word as she strode to the Bed and Breakfast, blushing feverishly.

**Review, please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry for the long wait. RL became hectic this last month and my grades have been dropping a bit. But I'm back. Hopefully, my next update won't take too long. Also, Happy Almost Halloween! What are you going to be? I'm gonna be Honey Boo Boo. I have a bit of a reality show obsession this season.**

**And I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, but Katherine, I picture, is how LJ Smith described her in the books, with the blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. So, yeah.**

**Twitter: oswiinn**

**Tumblr: kazdobrev**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. All rights belong to those who are involved with The Vampire Diaries, both book and TV show.**

* * *

Only a few locals and a couple more contestants were at the Grill when Caroline and Elena were having a late breakfast. Caroline noticed Aimee in the back giving us the stink eye along with a few of her friends. They've known Aimee since they met at a pageant. Their first encounter with her was when she won 5th place and had tantrum that was heard throughout the whole hall.

They decided to turn their heads from them as they sat at a table near the side of the bar, comfortably as they drank their less than adequate coffee. Caroline was going off about her call with Klaus the night before. It was filled with swooning and bragging. She spoke so contentedly, with a smitten smile, Elena was so happy for her. Caroline's always wanted a special someone who will admire her just the same as she admires him.

Damon walked in later in his leather jacket, black jeans, and white shirt, distracting Elena from listening to Caroline's story. He looked straight at her as he made his way to the bar. His friend, the teacher, was sitting there nursing a cup of coffee that she swore she saw was spiked with a bit of rum. He joined and faced towards him, but also towards her, showing off a little smirk. Trying to keep my attention on Caroline, she failed miserably. She caught Damon's blue eyes gazing at her, which in turn, probably, made Elena as red as a tomato.

"Elena? Are you even listening to me?" Caroline started waving her hand in front of her eyes, subtly. She was clearly annoyed.

She was snapped out her quasi-trance. "Yeah. What's up?"

Caroline turned around to see Damon remove his gaze from their table, back to his friend. Whipping her blonde locks, she turned back to Elena with an accusatory stare. "What is going on with you and Damon Salvatore?"

Scoffing she said, "Nothing." Caroline kept her hard stare on her friend and Elena sighed heavily, "We met up again, yesterday. In the park." Caroline continued to look at her, but now with a surprised face. "And we talked and that was it." She tried to end the conversation by nonchalantly taking a sip of her coffee. She discreetly glanced at Damon, without Caroline noticing, and he was still looking at her, talking to his friend. He nursed a cup of coffee in his hands, occasionally taking a sip.

Caroline's mouth was shaped in an 'o'. Shaking her head, she said, "That's not all of it."

Rolling her eyes, Elena asked, "What do you want me to say?"

She leaned in closer, her elbows now on the table. "What did you guys talk about? Do you like him?" She gasped and said with a sweet, dulcet voice, "Does he like you?"

She shook my head, lying to her. "We talked about the pageant. That's it". If she _did_ tell Caroline Damon's intentions, she'd have an earful. She's a definite matchmaker and she will not let things happen for itself. She takes action to move things along.

Caroline was about to say something when Miranda walked in on their conversation. She had a determined look on her face. "Elena, let's go. We have to rehearse."

She looked up confused, "I thought I had all morning to myself."

"Change of plans. Let's go," she said, putting a bill on the table to pay for her daughter, and then walked out expecting her to follow her out. Her heels clicked on her way out and her brown hair, in which Elena gets hers from, moved as she did.

She started to collect her things, solemnly. She was looking forward to having another free morning with Caroline. She looked over to Damon, and he was still looking back at her with an intense gaze. He had definitely heard her mother's loud, shrill voice cancel her plans. Caroline looked upset as Elena shrugged and began to make her way out the Grill.

Caroline knows how her mother likes to change plans, not thinking about how Elena feels or anybody else feels. She just has one thing on her mind and that is the first place tiara. She'd like to intervene and tell her mother that she doesn't need a 3-4 hour rehearsal for ten minutes of stage time, but she just can't bear to see the look her mother will have. First, it will be a bit angry, but then she'd cover it up by being extremely upset over it. It becomes annoying, but Elena doesn't know how to deal with that and not make her even more angry and upset.

Keeping up her pace, she made it to the rental car. Miranda was already inside with the engine on, waiting almost impatiently for her. The look was written all over her, as her nails tapped the steering wheel, and the other one checking her phone for nonexistent emails. Once she was settled, she drove them to the high school. She began to go through the schedule for the pageant, stuff Elena already knows from what she's told her last night.

When they made it to the school, they went to a vacant theatre. She ran her dance routine more times than she should have and the same goes to the song that she's singing. Her mom was relentless, until she finally let her have a break.

Still in her white lyrical dance dress she wandered through the halls of the school, while her mother thought she was on a bathroom break. She tried to think of nonsense, just to get pageantry off her mind, but it just went straight back to Damon. His fair skin in contrast with the darkest of dark hair etched in her head. Along with his baby blue eyes and pouty pink lips. She swooned just thinking about him. She brought herself out this reverie, thinking realistically.

Damon is not the kind of guy for someone like her. He's obviously a womanizer and still attached to that Katherine person. She thought back to the look Katherine gave to her last night. Caroline had a notion that Katherine was going to sabotage her from winning the title, because Damon has taken a liking to her. She dismissed it for its absurdity.

Elena was walking a little more when she heard talking and Damon and the acting mayor of the town, Carol Lockwood, came into view. She didn't exactly hear what they were saying, but Damon stopped talking when he saw her. He gave her a charming smile, and muttered something to Carol. She turned into another hallway as Damon walked towards her.

She rolled my eyes at his arrogant smirk.

Elena did a once over of her outfit which met mid-thigh and almost see-through sheer fabric. Looking back at him, she saw his eyes move up to hers. Perv.

They continued to walk on the white laminate floor until they met in the middle. He towered over her, because, instead of elevated shoes, she was wearing flats.

With a smolder, he said, "Hi."

She forced a smile. "Hey." Standing awkwardly in silence, she discreetly twiddled her thumbs behind her back. She noticed his stern jaw line, which lead up to his lips, just as pink as yesterday, tugged up into his broken record smirk.

"So, I saw you earlier at the Grill." He shook his head. "Your mom's assertive… But not that much." Elena rolled her eyes as Damon showed a more compassionate demeanor. "I saw that look you had. You were upset. You didn't even try to stay to hang out with your friend, what's her name… the Blondie."

"Caroline," she corrected and shook her head, "So what? I needed to rehearse. Yeah, I wanted to have the morning with my best friend but pageants come first between my mother and me." She ran her hand through her brown hair and relaxed her stance, still a bit irritated at his tenacity. Damon leaned against the lockers with his hands in his pockets. She huffed and copied his action, turning to face him.

He smiled towards her during the silence and then asked, "What's your favorite food?"

Curiosity and confusion coursed through her. "What?"

"Your favorite food. What is it?"

"Why?"

Now a bit irritated, he said, "Just tell me." He looked excited with his eyes wide and a faint smile. A gleam in his eye seemed like ideas were floating into his head.

Narrowing her eyes out of curiosity, she bit my lip, then replied, "Italian… Or breakfast food." He smiled wider, prouder. "Why?" She exasperated.

He walked closer to her, in turn making her take a step back. She placed her hand on his chest, immediately pulling away because of the feeling she received. He became confused, then recovered, saying, "Let me take you out. On a date."

In surprise, her mouth opened with the faintest gasp.

He turned on a charming a smile, "I'll make your favorite food."

She laughed. Crossing her arms, she pursed my lips. Does she really want to go into this? Or should she?

As she was about to say her answer, her mother called from behind her. "Elena, rehearsal!"

She rolled her eyes, "Okay, mom." She started to walk back to the room, her high heels clanking against the floors. She started to follow behind her, but was stopped when Damon grabbed my elbow softly. She felt the same tingle from when she put her hand on his chest and her fingertips touched just above the hem of his V-neck.

"Do I get an answer?"

Elena looked back at the trail her mother just left in, then back to him. "What about Katherine? Last I saw, she's still very interested in you and obviously thinks you two are together. She gave me the stink eye, as Caroline said."

His lips parted in the surprise response. He became a bit angry, then suppressed. "We're not together. She may think we are, because my father and her father expect us to be, but we're not. She isn't the type of person I'm in to."

"And what is the type of person you're in to?" Elena countered.

He chuckled and smiled. "Maybe you," he said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Again, Elena's mother interrupted the two, demanding that Elena come back to the room. She replied hastily, rolling her eyes. Looking back at the man still gently holding her arm, she grinned. "Pick me up at the B&B lobby at 6."

Damon smiled wider and let go of her elbow. She began to walk back to the room, but not without a last glance at Damon's retreating figure. He was walking in the other direction with small swing in step, and she continued my walk, a smile spread across her face.

* * *

**Please Review!**


End file.
